


Ahsoka and Barriss versus Darth Vader's Three Temptations

by bohrok



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Food, Redemption, anakin and padme relationship mention, barrissoka
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2018-03-06 12:34:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3134666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bohrok/pseuds/bohrok
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barrissoka redemption arc set after The Clone Wars. Darth Vader is ordered to either turn Ahsoka over to the Dark Side or kill her. This bodes poorly for the two ex-Jedi turned bounty hunters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ex-Jedi Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> -AU, I try to keep it close to the Canon Universe  
> -An A horizon in this context is when there’s an awkward a-shaped space between two people who are hugging.  
> -I might change the title  
> -this is lots of set up, Darth Vader plays a much larger role next chapter like he's supposed to

Ahsoka and Barriss were huddled in the same bed together on the Zerand X-1, worldship class, a starship equipped with life support sufficient enough that the occupants should never have to leave the ship, so long as there were enough droids to tend the food supply, take care of the plants providing organic atmospheric regulation, and keep the ship in working order. They were adrift in the intergalactic void, away from any hyperlane. It was accurate enough to say they were safely off the grid of the Galactic Empire, as had been their goal.

“How did we even get here? I was so angry with you when you set me up for the Jedi Temple bombing. And yet... I forgave you. Now we’re living together, headed out in hope of finding a habitable planet somewhere the Galactic Republic won’t bother us, and where Anakin... Darth Vader won’t ever find us.” Ahsoka voiced her thoughts aloud.

Barriss replied, “Let’s go back, to when it began, so that you remember it all, Ahsoka. We’ve come a long way and we have longer to go still. Let us remember all my mistakes, all your heroics, all our triumphs, and everything in between.”

\----------------------------------------

“Good evening, Padme.” Ahsoka greeted.

After leaving the Jedi Order, Padme invited Ahsoka to work for her as a bodyguard. It was a favorable position - paid well, being with people she already liked working with - and Ahsoka didn’t have any better options. The only other career Ahsoka could even consider as an ex-Jedi was becoming a bounty hunter, but Ahsoka feared that life would isolate her. It was generally considered undesirable for Togruta to lack friends in their culture and Ahsoka agreed. She didn’t want to leave her friends behind. And yet... Ahsoka felt she couldn’t stay.

It was painful seeing the members of the Jedi Order around. They came often to visit Padme, as she was one of their greatest allies, and also a good friend to many of them. Obi-Wan would greet Ahsoka when he passed her by, but Ahsoka never knew what to really respond with. She feared greeting with a simple hello, as she didn’t want to encourage the idea she forgave him for what happened. Obi-Wan had condemned her the same as any other of the Jedi during the time Ahsoka was set up for bombing the Jedi temple. Ahsoka was not ready to forgive anyone at this point. If she was still an apprentice again, the masters would have scolded her for holding onto her bitterness, for staying attached to the heavy hurt she felt from the betrayal. But, Ahsoka was not a Jedi now and she felt barely any guilt for staying attached to her pain in this day and age. Ahsoka was free to pursue her own destiny.

One of the greatest disadvantages of being Padme’s bodyguard was how often Anakin was over. Although Anakin had at least partially believed in her innocence, and even dragged the true culprit into court to clear Ahsoka’s name, Ahsoka didn’t particularly want to associate with him anymore either. Worse, she was now actively forced to keep Anakin’s secrets - that he was married to Padme and seeing her. Jedi were forbidden from falling in love. If the Jedi Council found out about Anakin’s marriage, he would be expelled from the order. Ahsoka had known this secret before she left the Jedi - but keeping it then had never felt as pressing to her as it did now. She needed to go. This wasn’t what Ahsoka wanted to do with her life and she was tired of having to deal with the Jedi Order even tangentially.

Padme said, “Good evening to you as well, Ahsoka. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing okay, but... I’ve been thinking.” Ahsoka carefully began to broach the subject.

Padme responded, “What were you thinking about?”

“I need to leave. I’m not comfortable keeping your and Anakin’s secret anymore. I would never tell anyone and I won’t, but it’s just... I can’t stay here. I’m sorry, Padme.” Ahsoka answered.

Padme replied, “I understand. I must ask, what will you do when you go?”

“The only thing I can do: become a bounty hunter. I’ll be able to pick my own missions and stay away from the Jedi like I intended to do when I left the order.” Ahsoka told her.

Padme offered, “I have a deal for you. If I can have you on retainer, then I’ll provide you with a ship and some starting credits, plus a yearly retainer fee. I won’t make you do any mission you’re uncomfortable with, like ones you feel are too closely related to the Jedi, as you stated earlier.”

“That’s awfully generous of you, Padme. Are you sure?” Ahsoka asked.

Padme responded, “You’ve saved my life multiple times and been a perfect bodyguard. I don’t think I could ever be generous enough for you after all you’ve done for me, Ahsoka. If you really want to leave to be a bounty hunter, I support you one hundred percent. I promise.”

\--------------------------------------

With Padme’s gift of the Destinence and the yearly retainer fee, Ahsoka didn’t have to do any extra work outside of Padme’s missions if Ahsoka didn’t want to. However, Ahsoka worried about getting soft and losing her fighting edge, so she did a few commissions for Bail Organa as well as some odd jobs in the Outer Rim that weren’t morally objectionable. As a former Jedi and with the stellar track record for success she built up, Ahsoka attracted a lot of characters who wanted to hire her, even without Ahsoka being a member of the Bounty Hunter’s Guild, but Ahsoka turned down the criminals and the Jedi-affiliated. Other bounty hunters began to say she lived a cushy life. Ahsoka would oftentimes think about whether or not she agreed with the accusation, but her thoughts always came back to how unhappy she was. She had been right when she predicted it would be a lonelier life than as Padme’s bodyguard. Ahsoka didn’t have any friends except for Padme and Bail, so she spent most of her time questioning her life’s choices in an almost empty ship, with no one around to talk to except droids.

One day, Ahsoka was hired by a Duros lending bank to capture Garan Arapto, who had defaulted on a traditional Duros lending type of debt. Ahsoka was also to collect the bought goods, known to be five kilograms of palladium. Arapto was traditionally required to be present at the lending institution he had crossed so that he could, in person, be formally disgraced - there were severe social consequences for Duros who defaulted on a loan. Ahsoka’s primary duty, to her surprise, was to retrieve the palladium. She had been instructed to leave Arapto alive if she could not capture him, but Ahsoka believed she would be able to drag him back to Duros no matter where he fled. Ahsoka tracked Arapto to Felucia and landed at the city of Niango.

Ahsoka was carrying a fresh crate of rations back to her ship when she bumped into a hooded figure carrying their own crate of rations. Both fell to the ground and dropped what they were holding. Packages were thrown about and a few that flew furthest were pilfered by sticky-fingered petty thieves.

“Sorry!” Ahsoka said.

The figure’s hood had fallen back to reveal someone Ahsoka knew.

Barriss Offee.

Barriss cautiously told her, “It’s all right, Ahsoka.”

Ahsoka drew her green lightsaber, quickly pointing it towards Barriss from where Ahsoka had fallen on the ground. Barriss ignited her blue blade, but didn’t move to attack. The crowd around them gasped and gave them a wide margin in the middle of the road. Ahsoka determined that Barriss was, at the moment, not overly hostile, and decided to attempt conversation.

“You’re supposed to be on Coruscant! You should have been tried and convicted for treason. How were you not executed like the senate planned to do to me?” Ahsoka shouted.

Barriss tried to get Ahsoka to calm down. “Ahsoka, I will tell you everything if we can go speak somewhere privately. You are attracting a lot of attention.”

Ahsoka was about to scream at Barriss even more loudly when she noticed - Barriss was right. The native Felucians and many other strangers were staring, including some very unfriendly-looking rival bounty hunters. Ahsoka knew these two hunters to be actually sanctioned by the official guild, and because she was not, some bounty hunters chose not to consider the Bounty Hunter’s Code to apply to her. Ahsoka disengaged her blade and stood up as defiantly as she could. The bounty hunters staring at the two slinked off, but Ahsoka guessed it would not be the last she saw of them.

“Fine. Help me pick up this mess and we’ll meet at my ship.” Ahsoka told Barriss.

Barriss shut off her lightsaber and offered her hand to Ahsoka, to see if Ahsoka would help pull her up. Ahsoka ignored it and began to stuff scattered ration pouches back into her crate. Barriss sighed inwardly and did the same to her own purchase.

On board the Destinence, Ahsoka chose the seat in the absolute corner of the galley, where no one could sneak up on her. Barriss quietly took her place at the bench across from Ahsoka’s spot. Ahsoka’s protocol droid, B9-3PO, tried to offer the two refreshments, but Ahsoka rudely bade it to another room with a quick wave of her lightsaber, deactivating the blade and replacing it at her belt once B9-3PO had hurriedly toddled its way out of the galley.

Ahsoka ordered Barriss, “Hand over your weapons. I don’t trust you walking around my ship with any of them.”

Barriss drew back her cloak and piled a stack of blasters, explosives, and other assorted dangerous paraphernalia at Ahsoka’s hands. Ahsoka placed it all to her side on the seat. After all of that was removed, Ahsoka stared at Barriss’s lightsaber, still present at Barriss’s side.

“Your lightsaber too, Barriss.” Ahsoka added.

Barriss was already in the middle of unclipping it and handing it over, blade end pointed at herself.

Barriss told Ahsoka, “I trust you holding it.”

“I don’t know why you would.” Ahsoka ignited Barriss’s blade and pointed it on the right side of Barriss’s throat. “You really shouldn’t.”

“I thought we came here to talk, Ahsoka.” Barriss implored.

Ahsoka refused to waver her hand. “Go ahead and talk. Why weren’t you executed by the senate?”

“Before I could even have a trial, I escaped custody. Boba Fett, disgusting jerk as he is, came running through my senate escort after his then-current bounty, some Twi’lek who passed by us in a hurry. I ducked and Fett blasted the guards to pieces, also happening to smash the mechanism on my restraints with one of the shots. He told me I owed him. I helped him kidnap the Twi’lek and then he considered the debt repaid. I knew as an escaped criminal I could never get hired as much of anything other than a bounty hunter, so I joined up with Fett just long enough so that I could go into business for myself. I registered with the Bounty Hunter’s Guild after we parted ways - it helps me get missions and keeps some creeps in line who would otherwise kill me. I took a lot of missions I didn’t want to while I worked for Fett and I take a lot of missions I don’t want to now, so the Rezzion has fuel and I have something to eat. I’m still wanted by the senate, so I usually keep my jobs to the Outer Rim if I can help it. It’s not easy, but I’m still alive.” Barriss explained.

Ahsoka sneered, “Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for you?”

“No. It’s just what happened, like you asked me to tell you.” Barriss replied.

Ahsoka demanded, “Where did you get this lightsaber?”

“I went to Illum and collected my own crystal, then built it, just like Luminara Unduli taught me to. It’s carried me through a lot of missions but I try to keep it secret as much as possible, so the council doesn’t hear of it and find me.” Barriss answered. “I sense the green lens in your new lightsaber is a pontite crystal, from how it cools my skin from far away. It’s very impressive.”

Ahsoka snapped, “Quit the smooth talk.”

“What happened to you, Ahsoka? You were never like this.” Barriss begged.

Ahsoka lost her temper. “What happened? WHAT HAPPENED? You framed me for treason, Barriss. I left the order, I spent time at a guard job I ended up hating, and now I spend all my days flicking bones at my R2 astromechs for entertainment. My life was ruined and it’s all your fault.”

“So maybe it is. You know, I ruined my own life along with yours, if it helps you to know that.” Barriss said softly.

Ahsoka scoffed. “What does that matter to me? It serves you right.”

“It sure does.” Barriss bowed her head humbly.

Ahsoka was taken aback. Barriss was acting somewhat like a Jedi again and she, Ahsoka, was acting like the one who had gone wrong. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. Ahsoka was supposed to prove once and for all to herself that she had been the wronged party and she deserved to do whatever she wanted to the traitorous Barriss. But, Ahsoka could now see things weren’t like that at all. Barriss was... almost like the one she had known on Geonosis in the weapons factory, the one she had cried for when she saved Barriss from a mind-control worm, the one whom Ahsoka had trusted with her own lightsaber, her life.

Most of the time, Ahsoka now wished she had never done that. But sometimes, Ahsoka remembered again what convinced her to do it, and she remembered just what it was about Barriss that really made her heart flutter. Ahsoka was aware she had feelings for Barriss, even now, even after everything that happened, and she pretended she didn’t back when she was still a Jedi. It was only after enough lonely nights on the Destinence that Ahsoka confronted her feelings and remembered the truth.

Ahsoka sighed and backed the lightsaber away from Barriss’s neck, but did not disengage the blade. She needed to go about this differently. Barriss, traitorous scum that she was, still meant something special to Ahsoka. Ahsoka decided she would loosen up on Barriss. Ahsoka would see if she still wanted Barriss after everything that happened.

Ahsoka knew that the chances were the answer would be yes, but she wasn’t going to admit that point-blank. She would determine this slowly. Give Barriss a few second chances, something like that. Despite anything she decided, Ahsoka knew total forgiveness would be a long time in coming, if it ever came.

Ahsoka offered, “You can ask some questions. I’ll answer them.”

“Why are you here on Felucia?” Barriss asked.

Ahsoka responded, “I was hired to repossess some certain property of a Duros who defaulted. He fled here with it. If I bring him back to Duros, I get extra.”

“I was hired to capture and bring back for trial a Duros named Eelloth Zhug who scammed a different Duros into taking on more debt that he realized. My quarry fled here.” Barriss told Ahsoka.

Ahsoka inquired, “What’s the name of the guy your target scammed?”

“Garan Arapto.” Barriss answered.

Ahsoka lowered the lightsaber. “That’s the guy I was hired to go after.”

“We could work together. Our missions have similar objectives and similar quarries.” Barriss suggested.

Ahsoka inwardly celebrated. The Force had given her a reasonable situation in which to test Barriss. This could work.

Ahsoka said, “I’ll give you a chance. If this goes well, I might even keep in touch with you after I leave Felucia.”

\-----------------------------

Ahsoka was inwardly cursing. These Duros were putting up more of a fight than she bargained for.

The reason Eelloth Zhug had bought so much palladium was that he had been working with a group called the Metal Throat, based in Felucia on an orbital station. They intended to produce portable cold fusion-powered equipment, such as blasters, and sell them to the highest bidder, while keeping some of the best for themselves. Unfortunately for Zhug, he missed several payments and in his haste to get rid of the debt, sold the palladium to Garan Arapto that was no longer Zhug’s to sell. The Metal Throat leader had to bribe Garan Arapto into joining the group and had Eelloth Zhug forcibly dragged to Felucia, where he would be punished for his incompetence.

Only one of the cold fusion blasters was working, but it was the only one they needed to work alongside their regular blasters to hold off both Ahsoka and Barriss from running in there and dragging off Arapto and Zhug. The rest of the five kilograms of palladium was conveniently sitting in a crate on a table in the middle of the room.

Ahsoka and Barriss had already destroyed all of the Metal Throat’s starships, leaving the Destinence and the Rezzion as the only escape routes off the Felucian orbital station until help arrived for the would-be cold fusion manufacturers. If Ahsoka and Barriss could break through the Metal Throat’s line of defense, Arapto, Zhug, and the palladium would be theirs.

“I’ll go in through a ventilation shaft from above if you distract them from here. From there, I’ll take the shooters out and you keep Arapto and Zhug from escaping. Deal?” Barriss asked.

Ahsoka told her, “No, I’ll go in through the ventilation system since I’m smaller. Keep them busy and don’t let them figure out I’m coming in there from above.”

“Okay. Good luck.” Barriss wished Ahsoka.

Ahsoka resisted the urge to spit on Barriss’s well-meaning words and instead opened the ventilation screen. She crawled in through there and quietly made her way down through to over the Zygerrian cold fusion blaster-wielder’s head. When she felt ready, she silently lifted the screen and dropped down into behind the line of the firefight.

Ahsoka deflected about six shots all at once before cutting the cold fusion blaster in half. The Zygerrian who had been holding it dropped the pieces and grabbed ahold of Ahsoka’s right wrist, stopping Ahsoka from using her lightsaber. The others drew in close with their blasters pointed directly at Ahsoka, who struggled to make the Zygerrian let go of her.

Barriss charged into the room, a blaster in her left hand, her lightsaber in her right hand. She took out three gun-wielders before they could even react and dispatched three more as they turned to shoot at her. Barriss marched up and decapitated the others, including the Zygarrian who had just reached to choke Ahsoka.

Ahsoka said, “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Barriss had a tender undercurrent to her voice.

Ahsoka tried to ignore that fact.

The others in the room either ducked under cover in fear or tried to run out the door. Eelloth Zhug ducked underneath a table covered in spare parts, while Garan Arapto ran away, presumably to the next available starship that he didn’t know wasn’t there. Barriss calmly walked over and dragged Zhug out from underneath the table. Ahsoka picked up the palladium-filled crate and held it in her left hand. Barriss bound Zhug’s hands with cuffs and wasn’t paying attention when a Felucian reached for a blaster and aimed at Barriss’s head.

Ahsoka yelled, “Look out!”

Ahsoka ignited her lightsaber and deflected the blaster bolts back at the Felucian, which killed him. Barriss breathed a sigh of relief and gripped her blaster a little tighter. The others in the room shuddered and banished any further thoughts about rebelling against the two bounty hunters.

“Thanks, Ahsoka.” Barriss said.

Ahsoka gruffly replied, “You’re welcome. We need to catch up with Arapto now.”

“Agreed. Let’s dump Zhug back at my ship and then search for Arapto. He won’t have gotten far.” Barriss told her.

Zhug struggled the whole way, cursing and screaming as he did, but he was no match for two determined Force-sensitives like Ahsoka and Barriss. He was secured into a holding cell deep within the Rezzion. Satisfied, the two made their way to the bridge and were surprised to be met with Arapto in one of the Rezzion’s connecting hallways. Arapto pointed two blasters in both of their directions.

Arapto shouted, “Say goodbye, Jedi scum!”

He fired at them. Simultaneously, both Ahsoka and Barriss drew their lightsabers and dodged the bolts.

“Ex-Jedi!” Ahsoka corrected.

Ahsoka ran straight at Arapto. When she got within range, Arapto pulled out a close-range stun blaster and shot her. Ahsoka froze and went down instantly, closing her eyes. Arapto picked up Ahsoka’s lightsaber and lunged its point at her chest.

Barriss force-leaped and parried the blade. Arapto, no Force-sensitive by any means, attempted to slash at Barriss with it, but only succeeded in missing, then hitting himself in the chest with the blade. He screamed as the lightsaber cut through his torso and he died. His arm, still holding the active lightsaber, began to fall on top of Ahsoka’s paralyzed body, and would have injured her if Barriss had not jumped over Ahsoka and caught it. Barriss deactivated both of their lightsabers and then realized how close the two were to each other. Their faces were directly over one another’s and there was very little A horizon between their chests.

Ahsoka, who had just came to, opened her eyes to see Barriss leaning over her. Arapto was in two pieces to either side of them and Barriss was holding both of their lightsabers. Ahsoka’s heart beat quickly and thoughts came to her of perhaps kissing Barriss.

No. Ahsoka rejected those thoughts. It was an attachment Ahsoka was not willing to make. She wasn’t ready and she was trying to follow at least some of the Jedi teachings, if not all. They were good ones, ones she respected, ones that were made for a reason. Ahsoka quoted internally to herself, “there is no emotion, there is peace. There is no passion, there is serenity.”

Ahsoka tried to forget the passion inside, but it was like trying to keep a wave from breaking. Even if not now, Ahsoka knew she would cross that forbidden rule and at least tell Barriss she loved her. Until then, Ahsoka would do her best to avoid being so physically close to Barriss. It made resisting much harder.

Ahsoka said, “Thank you for saving my life. Twice today, really.”

“And thank you for saving my life today, Ahsoka. We could keep doing this. We could work together.” Barriss offered.

Ahsoka sighed. “I need some time to think, Barriss. I’ve also been commissioned for a solo mission by my most important client, which I need to immediately go do after I take what’s left of the palladium and Arapto’s body to Duros, so I can’t start a partnership right away. But, there is one thing I can do: give you my private channel. That way, no matter where each of us are in the galaxy, you can still contact me. I never thought I’d say this, but I want to make things work again.”


	2. Grave Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darth Vader receives his orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -This chapter inspired partially by thinking about chapter 1 of Dusk by kablob (http://archiveofourown.org/works/2844707/chapters/6380150), the Mortis arc of The Clone Wars Series, the Revenge of the Sith novel, and as always, Barrissoka feels.  
> -I made telepathic Force connections much more easily attained here than in the canon.  
> -Lots of references to the Revenge of the Sith novel.  
> -Canon-typical violence continues. Canonical major character death in this chapter, as Order 66 occurs.

It was a relatively easy assignment from Padme. Ahsoka was to go to Naboo and bring back some bubble spore, keeping it viable along the way. Padme intended to have it studied and reproduced so that she could produce a more welcoming conference room for Gungan ambassadors. Ahsoka had been given the necessary credits for purchasing bubble spore and a reputable seller to meet with, which was the easy part. The difficult part was that it was 3,634 years after the Treaty of Coruscant was signed.

Ahsoka was sitting in a comfortable observation chair in the bridge of the Destinence. One of her five astromech droids, R2-Z34, was directing the ship as the autopilot. They were in the middle of hyperspace right now. Starting from Duro, the Destinence had first used the Corellian Run, then exited so that it could enter onto the Hydian Way. They were about two hours away from Naboo. Ahsoka was close enough to reach the controls if she wanted to, but she just wanted to sit back, relax, and think about how she was going to deal with the Barriss problem.

Ahsoka... liked Barriss. She didn’t have to deal with it for years, but now... it was relevant again and it was preventing her from meditating effectively. Instead of being completely clear, her mind was always filling with thoughts of how her skin felt pressed up against Barriss, among others. Ahsoka needed to deal with her emotions. She needed to confront Barriss about this and work something out. Jedi were not supposed to fall in love. Ahsoka wasn’t a Jedi anymore, but... she sure sometimes felt like it, and at least felt like trying to live up to some of the commandments. It was a complicated balance, but Ahsoka did her best to try and find a fair, manageable, reasonable one.

Ahsoka was shaken from her thoughts by intense mental shockwaves. All around her, the Force screamed of thousands of Force-sensitives’ deaths happening at the same time. It was like the air had turned to thick, hot blood. Two individual piercing headaches began in each of her temples and etched their way back to her brain stem. One cried in sorrow and the other celebrated its triumph. Ahsoka could hear each individual Force-sensitive’s voice crying out in agony as they were falling dead. She swore she even heard the voice of her former friend, Master Luminara Unduli, shouting out before Unduli passed and the other voices drowned out what was left of her. Together, the voices of the dying Force-sensitives formed what was a cacophony for one side of the headaches and a harmony for the other side. The entire galaxy reeked of violent turmoil. Ahsoka watched the Dark Side rear its massive dragonic head and shriek in triumph. The headaches disappeared along with the Dark Side’s dragon head, but the thick feeling of the air and the cries of the doomed continued to echo in Ahsoka’s mind.

“The Jedi!” Ahsoka shrieked.

It was the only conclusion one could make from what she was sensing. It had to be the Jedi whose deaths she heard. The numbers, the Dark Side of the Force growing stronger with each anguished screech - Ahsoka understood that they were dying in large numbers, but why, she did not know.

The astromech piloting the Destinence did not react to Ahsoka’s outbursts and instead kept a steady course towards Naboo. It was not concerned with Jedi or the Force or what was to come.

Ahsoka reached out in the Force for a familiar presence - Master Plo Koon. She had to know he was okay. He had to be.

It was so difficult to find him in the obscuring fog of the Dark Side, but having found Plo Koon through the Force once before, Ahsoka managed to locate him again. Plo Koon was piloting his Jedi starfighter in the skies of Cato Neimoidia and Captain Jag had just pulled further away from behind Plo’s interceptor when Ahsoka contacted him telepathically through the Force.

Ahsoka told him, “Master! The Jedi are dying; you have to get out of there! That clone is about to...”

“I can sense it, Ahsoka. It will be all right. Let go of your attachment to me. There is no death, there is the Force.” Plo Koon advised.

Ahsoka’s connection with Plo Koon shattered after Captain Jag fired his cannons. Plo Koon was engulfed in fire and the Dark Side cackled in Ahsoka’s ear, the last commemoration she had to mark his death.

Ahsoka howled, “NO!”

She fell to her knees from her seat and sobbed. Plo Koon was the closest person she had to a father figure. He brought her to the Jedi Temple from Shili, he gave her advice several times when she most needed it, and he was gone. Just like that. It no longer mattered that he had handed her over to the senate like any other member of the Jedi Council. Ahsoka needed the tall Kel Dor figure who had recognized her Force sensitivity when she was three. She needed him to come back, for things to be okay again.

Things were not going to be okay. The Galactic Empire was about to sit on a throne of ashes, ashes from the former Galactic Republic, and ashes from the many Jedi dying right then and there across the galaxy.

Ahsoka doubted she could handle another loss, but still, she reached out for Anakin. She knew she had left Coruscant specifically as part of avoiding him, but now was the time to move past what had happened. The Jedi Order’s betrayal would continue to hurt her, but Ahsoka could no longer stand by and ignore them. Ahsoka needed her former Jedi master. Ahsoka needed Sky Guy.

When she finally found him in the Force, it was on Coruscant, heavily surrounded in the fog of the Dark Side. He was there, but a great deal of many things had changed in the short while Ahsoka had last seen him. Around him were clone troopers, all armed, all looking like they were about to fight. They were marching up the stairs to the Jedi Temple. Her connection to him was shaky and threatened to fade out at any time, but Ahsoka pooled all of her strength into maintaining it.

“Anakin? What’s going on?”

“None of your business. Go away.”

Ahsoka then realized there was a reason the Dark Side clinged to him so tightly.

“You can’t do this, Anakin. You’re supposed to be one of the good guys.”

Anakin mentally paused for a moment. Then, the Dark Side within him swelled up and shut Ahsoka out. Their connection ended. Shortly after, a new disturbance welled in the Force and sent Ahsoka falling again to the ground in tears. Many of these voices were much younger than the ones from earlier. For each Ahsoka recognized, she shed an additional tear. Her former friends were all dying and there was nothing she could do about it.

Despite all the screeching of the Dark Side, a faint connection poked at Ahsoka’s mind. Ahsoka didn’t know how it managed to find her in all the agony, but she decided to believe in the hope it was a friendly one. She let it in and found herself speaking to Barriss.

“Ahsoka? Are you all right?” Barriss was frantic.

Ahsoka replied, “I’m alive and not in any danger, but everyone is dying. Anakin is... he’s...”

Barriss felt overwhelmed by the sadness and pain Ahsoka flooded their connection with. Barriss, as best as she could, tried to send feelings of comfort and solace during the time when there was none to be found. She could only hope it would work. There was nothing else to do in the unimaginable pain and suffering. Their last resort was to find hope once more.

“I was heading for Tatooine after we separated on Duro and I am close to Falleen. I can exit hyperspace and route to your coordinates if you want me to come see you.” Barriss offered.

Ahsoka said, “Yes. Please. I need you.”

Barriss felt a surge of joy at the validation, which passed through the connection, and provided Ahsoka enough strength to get up and sit back in a chair. B9-3PO the protocol droid started its doting, concerned totter towards her, but Ahsoka waved it off. She would be fine once Barriss got there.

“Where are you?” Barriss asked.

Ahsoka answered, “I’m about to exit hyperspace outside of Naboo in a little over one hour. Meet me there?”

“Yes. May the Force be with you.” Barriss said for the first time in a year.

“And also with you, Barriss.”

It had been a long time since Ahsoka wished that to anyone as well.

Ahsoka just about cried again after Barriss ended their connection. She didn’t want to be alone right now. What kept Ahsoka from it was the thought, over and over:

Barriss is coming. It will be all right.

Ahsoka, when her ship exited hyperspace, went into orbit around Naboo. R2-Z34 beeped at her to ask if she wanted to land on Naboo’s surface, but Ahsoka hushed the droid, so that she could meditate. The Force was still reeling in chaos, but Ahsoka could feel it start to settle in some aspects. Earlier, mental connections were harder to attain, due to the interference from all the death happening. Now, Ahsoka could push out to the far reaches of the galaxy, see who else was looking around for survivors.

One being reached her. Ahsoka opened herself to a communication between them.

“Ahsoka Tano. Alive, you are.”

She had found Yoda.

Ahsoka said, “Master Yoda, you’re alive!”

“Barely I am, it seems.” Yoda added.

Ahsoka asked, “How many more Jedi have you heard from?”

“One, there was. Master Kenobi, survived he has. Others, we found not.” Yoda replied.

Ahsoka implored, “Surely, there has to be others out there. They can’t have all died.”

“Perhaps right you are. But wary they will be. Hard to find they will be. Of others, do you know?” Yoda inquired.

Ahsoka answered, “The only one I could find was... Barriss Offee. I know she’s not a Jedi, but neither am I, really.”

“The time it is not, choosy to be. Ahsoka, dark times are these. To the coded retreat signal, do not go. Hide you must. With Barriss Offee, if you must. Looking for survivors, the Sith will. Jedi or ex-Jedi, distinction not make they will.” Yoda advised.

Ahsoka asked, “What will you and Master Kenobi do?”

“Into exile, we must go. Until the time is right, in exile stay we must. Transmissions have we may not. In contact through the Force, we may keep. Of your former master, do you know?” Yoda’s tone sent a shiver of fearful anticipation down Ahsoka’s spine.

She didn’t want to talk about it, really, but it was hard to hold anything back in a Force connection.

Ahsoka responded, “I tried to connect with Anakin, back when the Force was screaming its loudest. He was surrounded by the Dark Side. I saw him going up to the temple before our communication ended. I don’t want to believe it, but he serves the Sith now.”

“Correct you are. From your connection, alive he knows you are. Ordered to kill you will he be.” Yoda remarked.

Ahsoka filled with rage. “He would never!”

“Say it yourself you did - serving a new master, he does. The Jedi you knew, gone is.” Yoda replied.

Ahsoka said, “I don’t believe you!”

“Whether you do or do not, run from him, you must. The Jedi you knew, gone is.” Yoda repeated sternly.

Ahsoka sighed heavily. “I respect your advice, Master. I must go now. I will keep in contact with you through the Force, as you advised.”

“May the Force be with you.”

“May the Force be with you, Master Yoda.”

Yoda and Ahsoka severed their connection at the same time. Ahsoka looked up and saw the Rezzion exiting hyperspace from an offshoot of the Corellian Run. Ahsoka ordered R2-Z34 to pull their ships close together and Barriss docked the Destinence effortlessly.

Once Barriss had stepped out of the airlock and into the hallway, she and Ahsoka collapsed into each other with less of a hug and more of a mutually exhausted puddle.

“What are we going to do, Ahsoka?” Barriss whispered.

Ahsoka said, “I need to get bubble spore to Padme, so let’s start there.”

“You’re thinking of an errand at a time like this? And we can’t go to Coruscant - the Holonet showed they shot Jedi in the streets there!” Barriss exclaimed.

Ahsoka replied, “We’re not Jedi. We stopped being Jedi long ago. The clones won’t come after us. And even if they tried to kill us, we can beat them.”

“Why do you want to go to Coruscant, Ahsoka? I don’t think it’s really to get bubble spore delivered.” Barriss said.

Ahsoka answered, “...I want to warn Padme about Anakin and if it’s possible, rescue any Jedi who are left.”

“That’s too dangerous and - wait, why do you need to warn anyone about Anakin, least of all a senator?” Barriss asked.

Ahsoka responded, “You know Anakin is good friends with Padme. He serves the Sith now - that’s why. Someone has to tell her. I don’t want her to get hurt, but someone has to tell her. And if it’s up to me, then I’ll go there. I owe Padme many times over - I’ll risk my life for her and it won’t ever be enough to fill that.”

\----------------------------------------------

There were absolutely, positively, no Jedi left on Coruscant. Ahsoka found it odd that before she arrived, the Jedi coded retreat signal had been reprogrammed to warn survivors to go into exile. Then, thinking upon it - she realized it must have been the work of Master Yoda and likely, Master Kenobi. This reassured Ahsoka that if there were any additional survivors on Coruscant, at least the two Jedi Masters would have found them and flew them to safety. This left Ahsoka with one task remaining - to find Padme and tell her.

Ahsoka had access to Padme’s Coruscant apartment security codes since she still worked for Padme. Ahsoka unlocked the door and went in, with Barriss following at her side, warily watching every shadow for her, and the two were immediately greeted by C-3PO.

C-3PO said, “Master Tano! It’s good to see you again. Oh - oh my! What are you doing with a known criminal?”

“No time for small talk, C-3PO, and don’t tell anyone she was here. I don’t have time to explain why. Where’s Padme?” Ahsoka asked.

Padme made her entrance, appearing in clothes fit for galactic space travel as she descended down the stairs.

Padme said, “Who is it this time, C-3PO? Oh, Ahsoka! You’re all right!”

“Yes, Padme.” Ahsoka gave Padme a hug. “We need to talk.”

“Why are you with...” Padme trailed off awkwardly.

Barriss felt resentment and guilt biting at her gut, but didn’t say anything.

Ahsoka gestured to the upstairs floors. “Let’s talk away from the door.”

The three went into the upper apartment rooms. C-3PO locked the door and made himself scarce. Ahsoka had a fleeting thought that she wished B9-3PO would do the same more often. Padme chose a chair far from the one Barriss chose, but Ahsoka chose to sit right next to Barriss. Padme questioned to herself why Ahsoka was suddenly so close to Barriss again, but upon seeing a hidden glance from Barriss at Ahsoka’s lips, Padme guessed their reconciliation had to do with romantic feelings. Padme decided not to bring the particular subject up and would leave the two be. Padme only hoped that Ahsoka’s relationship with Barriss wouldn’t endanger Ahsoka, that Ahsoka forgiving Barriss wasn’t a grave mistake.

“I was about to leave - you just caught me.” Padme admitted.

Ahsoka said, “I got the bubble spore you requested and delivered it to one of your servants before I came in. Padme - I need to tell you something about Anakin.”

“Obi-Wan was already here, so if it’s about those rumors - I already heard them. I’m going to go see him.” Padme told Ahsoka.

A look of panic crossed over Ahsoka’s face. “You can’t! It’s too dangerous!”

“He is my husband, Ahsoka. There’s nothing I need to fear about him. I love him.” Padme said.

Barriss looked at Ahsoka. “Wait, ‘husband?’”

“Why is she here, Ahsoka?” Padme questioned with a tired expression on her face.

“She” being Barriss, of course. Padme knew it was one thing for Ahsoka to be romantically entangled with Barriss and another completely for Ahsoka to bring Barriss into Padme’s apartment. Ahsoka’s forgiveness of Barriss in no way translated into Padme forgiving Barriss. As far as Padme was concerned, Barriss was still the fallen Jedi who bombed the Jedi Temple a little less than a year ago and Padme was very cognizant of the fact of how similarly the Jedi Temple burned today. The smoke was still visible from her window and the attack had been hours ago - Padme took a glance at it once more to see if it had all been a bad dream, but it had not been. If only, if only it had been a simple dream, Padme wished in vain.

Ahsoka explained, “With the way the world’s changing - with the Republic and the Jedi Order gone - I’m more willing to forgive what happened with the Order back then. Barriss has already saved my life twice recently and I’ve forgiven her for setting me up. She’s one of the last people I have left, Padme.”

“Do be careful, Ahsoka.” Padme had a bit of a reprimand in her voice.

Barriss sunk into her seat with some shame. Padme stiffened in vague apprehension at the sudden movement and Barriss’s expression changed to one of shock. Padme looked down at her clothing and realized she had made the same mistake twice.

Barriss blurted, “You’re pregnant?”

“Anakin’s?” Ahsoka asked.

Barriss put it all together. “If you’re married to Anakin and having his children already, then that means - I can’t believe this. The Order was falling to pieces long before I ever understood. If the Chosen One flaunted the rules for that long then... then... what hope is there for the rest of us?”

“Yes, the child is his, Ahsoka. I’m going to go see my husband. It will be fine.” Padme said, choosing to ignore Barriss.

Ahsoka inquired, “Are you sure? I’m worried about you.”

“I’ll be fine, Ahsoka. I’m just going to ask Anakin to explain what’s going on and prove that things are okay. I’ll send a transmission to you on the Destinence after I do.” Padme promised.

Barriss told Ahsoka, “We can’t risk that. The Emperor might find out we’re still around - who knows if any communication channels won’t be listened in on? There is the risk the Emperor will come after us if we’re found out, ex-Jedi or not, Ahsoka.”

“Then, this is goodbye, perhaps, for a long time?” Ahsoka was about to cry as she spoke.

She didn’t want to say goodbye to Padme. Padme was one of the last friends she still had. How could Ahsoka say goodbye to anyone when the galaxy was falling apart, the time when they needed to stay together? She didn’t like that Padme was risking herself by going to see Anakin, but Ahsoka respected Padme and her ability to make decisions. Ahsoka just hoped that it wouldn’t end up to be a grave mistake, for Padme to meet with Anakin or for Ahsoka to let Padme go see a servant of the Sith.

Padme stood up and Ahsoka gave her a hug. Barriss stood, but kept her distance. As she surveyed the apartment Barriss thought she saw a figure in the darkness, but when she glanced again, whatever she thought she had seen was gone. Barriss hoped it was her mind playing tricks on her and not, as she suspected, a listener.

Padme whispered softly, “Goodbye, Ahsoka. I’ll see you again.”

“Goodbye, Padme. May the Force be with you.” Ahsoka replied.

Ahsoka had a bad feeling as she left Padme’s apartment with Barriss. Barriss didn’t tell Ahsoka this, but she had the exact same one too - that the goodbyes Padme and Ahsoka had given would be the final ones, that it was the last time they ever saw each other.

\---------------------------------------

Barriss complained, “What are we doing here, Ahsoka?”

“I told you. I have to go to Padme’s funeral.” Ahsoka said.

Padme’s state funeral was to be held on Naboo. The Rezzion had since been sold for a decent chunk of credits, both Ahsoka and Barriss were living together aboard the Destinence, and they were in orbit of one of Naboo’s sister planets. Ahsoka was currently in the middle of insisting on something highly dangerous.

Barriss reminded her, “Ahsoka, the Emperor will be there. Anakin will be there. Not to mention, there are countless hostile rival bounty hunters, at least a hundred clone troopers, and who knows how many other enemies. I know she was your friend, but you shouldn’t risk going to this funeral where we could, very likely, be killed or worse. Do you absolutely insist on risking everything when we could instead use the Emperor’s distraction to find a good place to hide in exile?”

“Yes.” Ahsoka stated.

Barriss told her, “Fine. Then, I hope you won’t object to the security measures we’re going to take when we go there.”

“Okay, what are they?” Ahsoka asked.

Barriss said, “First of all, in the absolute worst case scenario of if the Emperor and/or Anakin comes over to speak with us, we need to act like we’re persuadable to the Dark Side. That way, they won’t immediately order us shot on the spot. Dark-Siders are greedy. They will be interested in turning any powerful Force-sensitives over to their side, if they think it’s possible, rather than simply killing them. We’re going to have to let just a little bit of the Dark Side inside ourselves if they come up to us. Do you understand?”

Barriss thought Ahsoka was going to be offended, was going to argue with her, possibly even throw a fit. However, to Barriss’s surprise, Ahsoka did not.

“You’re right. I don’t want to do it, but if it comes down to it, it’ll be our plan.” Ahsoka said. “I want to know... when I start to cry down there, will you hold me and protect me when I do?”

“It will make us look like a lot like a couple. You know that, right?” Barriss told her.

Ahsoka replied, “Is there anything wrong with that?”

“I was under the assumption you were resisting that form of attachment to me still.” Barriss admitted.

Ahsoka said, “I’m tired of resisting it. Life is short and we’re not Jedi anymore. We can fall in love. It will be all right. Do you want to be with me?”

“Yes, Ahsoka. Do you want to be with me?” Barriss asked.

Ahsoka answered, “Yes.”

\-----------------------------------

There was an absolutely massive crowd out in the streets at Padme’s funeral. Her casket was open and beautiful flowers covered her body. Ahsoka and Barriss stood in the middle of a particularly congested section for the best cover, but from their spot, Ahsoka could still see the bulge in Padme’s belly. Ahsoka mourned both Padme and the baby lost along with her.

Ahsoka questioned everyday if she had really done everything she could to keep Padme from seeing Anakin. Ahsoka questioned if Padme and the baby would still be alive to this day if Ahsoka had just done something to keep Padme safe. Unfortunately, what’s done was done, and there were two dead bodies in the casket of the former Queen of Naboo.

From Organa’s starship, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail Organa could see Ahsoka and Barriss. This greatly concerned the three of them. On the other end, Ahsoka and Barriss were unaware that Obi-Wan and Yoda were there, though Ahsoka guessed that Bail Organa was very likely in attendance.

“What are they doing? They are going to be seen!” Obi-Wan shouted.

Bail Organa sighed. He hoped Ahsoka and Barriss would be lucky enough to evade the Emperor and Darth Vader, both present at the funeral not too far away from Ahsoka and Barriss. Even Obi-Wan and Yoda, masters of evasion, didn’t dare to mingle with the crowds as the two ex-Jedi had chosen. Ahsoka and Barriss may have taken too big of a risk.

Ahsoka and Barriss made their way back to the Destinence a little before the funeral had finished. They wanted to get there in time to make a quick getaway, just in the very, very slim chance they had been spotted by someone who recognized them and reported them to the Emperor. It was a slim chance. Very, very slim. Not one they needed to worry about, hopefully.

As Ahsoka approached the ship first, the landing platform of the Destinence opened and extended. At the top of the ramp was Ahsoka’s silver-plated protocol droid B9-3PO, with Emperor Palpatine and a tall, armored, mostly mechanical figure wearing black clothes. The figure’s deep breathing led Ahsoka to assume it was alive and possibly even biological in some way.

“Master Tano and Master Offee,” B9-3PO said, “His Imperial Majesty Emperor Palpatine is here to see you.”

Emperor Palpatine greeted the two. “Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee, it is good to see you again. Come and show us your beautiful starship.”

Ahsoka wanted to scream and run as fast as she could out of there, but it was far too late for that.

The four sat together in the bridge of the Destinence. Both Barriss and Ahsoka disliked how the Dark Side followed both the Emperor, and to a lesser extent, the apprentice, in a cloud-like aura. Ahsoka personally felt offended that it was poisoning the atmosphere of the Destinence, her pride and joy.

Ahsoka ordered B9-3PO to serve them whatever food and drink she had that wasn’t rations. She had also by that point resolved that if she and Barriss survived this encounter, to sell the ship and scrap the droids, starting with the ignorant protocol droid who had let two of the most dangerous, hostile people in the galaxy onto their ship.

“This is the first time seeing you since you were awarded your new office, Your Highness.” Barriss said politely. “How do you like this new position?”

“I am proud of the direction the Galactic Empire is going. My apprentice here will help to ensure that there is peace throughout the galaxy and I will help to maintain it. This is to be the greatest age in history, one that lasts forever.” Emperor Palpatine declared.

Ahsoka asked, with just the slight hint of timidity creeping into her tone, “Your Majesty, if you don’t mind my asking, who is this apprentice? I hadn’t ever heard of a ‘Darth Vader’ until a few days ago.”

“Don’t you recognize your old master, Ahsoka?” The distorted and heavy voice of the apprentice boomed on artificial speakers.

Barriss was extremely disturbed to figure out that the apprentice, announced to the world at Darth Vader, was the former Anakin Skywalker. Ahsoka was too stunned to react at the revelation.

Ahsoka, when she finally regained the ability to speak, blurted out, “What happened?”

“Ahsoka, don’t be rude!” Barriss hissed under her breath.

Barriss was afraid Ahsoka had just signed themselves to early graves.

Darth Vader made an angry sigh and the Force around all four of them rippled with his rage. Before he could speak, however, Emperor Palpatine took the floor.

Emperor Palpatine told them, “The Jedi turned corrupt and attacked innocent people across the galaxy, including my poor apprentice. I was forced to order the clone troopers to turn on their former generals, in order to save lives. Several of the leaders of the Jedi Rebellion tried to overthrow the Senate by attempting to kill me and your former master. It is a pittance what the Jedi became in the end.”

“I saw this happening a year ago. I tried to warn people, but no one listened to me when I told them at Ahsoka’s unfair trial. If only they would have - there could have been many lives saved.” Barriss said.

Ahsoka hoped Barriss wasn’t being truthful because that sounded an awful lot like the Barriss Ahsoka was absolutely done with, not the one Ahsoka had agreed to date.

Emperor Palpatine replied, “You two have always been such talented young women. Join my Inquisitorius. Together, you can save lives once more. Think of the power and glory you will have again.”

“Your offer is tempting, Your Majesty, however we think it wise to at least take time to think about it. I’m not in the mood to go rushing into big decisions right now, strange as it may be to believe about me.” Ahsoka babbled in a panicked rush.

Darth Vader spoke this time. “My master has a gift for you. He hopes you will find it convincing.”

Emperor Palpatine reached into his pockets and pulled out two synthetic red lightsaber crystals.

“In a few days, I will announce a ban on lightsabers carried by anyone not affiliated with me. These will help you to keep yours. I will have each of yours marked down as authorized, on the condition you only use lightsaber crystals provided by me.” Emperor Palpatine explained.

Barriss wondered how he knew about their new lightsabers, both built after each had left the Jedi Order, both tucked away out of sight underneath their clothes, and Barriss began to consider very carefully whether or not to get rid of hers. Ahsoka began to wonder if Palpatine was near-omnipotent, but hoped it to be untrue.

Ahsoka took one crystal and Barriss took the other. Both couldn’t help but feel a thick sense of dread as the Dark Side imbued in each crystal whispered at them. Wordlessly, both revealed their lightsabers, next taking them apart and replacing the crystals inside with the ones Palpatine had given them. Darth Vader pocketed both the pontite crystal and the Ilum crystal, which further convinced Barriss that the two Sith had planned this encounter very carefully, and that it could be deadly to refuse hospitality of any sort to their unwanted guests. Barriss then vowed she would cleanse both synthetic crystals of the Dark Side as soon as Palpatine had left, if she or Ahsoka decided to keep their lightsabers at all.

Emperor Palpatine said in a voice that hinted it was more of an order, “Show them off.”

Both Ahsoka and Barriss stood up and moved away some of the furniture so that they had plenty of room to practice. Barriss ignited her lightsaber first and Ahsoka second. The crimson blades contrasted heavily with the calming green color scheme Ahsoka previously had installed in the bridge. Ahsoka moved through the motions of practicing Form V, her favorite, but her performance was flat, without emotion, and her face betrayed her unhappiness. Barriss, however, was more committed to pretending she might possibly be interested in Palpatine’s offer, and knew she needed to subtly persuade Ahsoka to do the same, as to not jeopardize their lives any further than they already were. Barriss, instead of beginning the motions of her usual Soresu practice, chose to practice her Makashi form in front of the two Sith Lords. Barriss held her now-red lightsaber vertically to her face. Barriss was pointed towards Ahsoka, who noticed what Barriss was doing. Barriss then quickly moved her saber in a x-shape. Ahsoka recognized that very obvious flourish. Barriss wanted to spar.

It would be unspeakably dangerous. They would both have to use the Dark Side at some point, in order to please Palpatine. Even considering that, they would already be tempted to use the Dark Side as the essence within each crystal implored them constantly. But when Ahsoka saw Barriss’s challenge, she thought nothing of the peril and everything about showing off just how talented of a young woman she was.

Ahsoka moved from her reverse Shien grip to attack. Each move Ahsoka made, Barriss easily parried. Each attack Barriss made, Ahsoka effortlessly parted in the same regard. As Ahsoka tried to think of the Jedi commandment, ‘there is no passion, there is serenity,’ her lightsaber crystal overpowered these thoughts, and whispered the Code of the Sith in her head.

“Serenity? What serenity? What peace, even? Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, you gain strength, Ahsoka. Through strength you gain power, through power you gain victory, through victory your chains are broken, Ahsoka. The force shall free you.”

A gold ghost from another life flickered across Ahsoka’s eyes and for a moment, she tapped into the Dark Side. With it, she used a double-handed grip and lunged. Barriss barely dodged the attack, which would have stabbed straight through her liver. As Ahsoka extended into the full motion, a vague memory of another time came to her, when she attacked Anakin with both lightsaber and shoto, telling him how much she hated being called Snips. Ahsoka was shaken from the Dark Side by the sudden mental intrusion of the repressed memory, which reasserted her choice to use only the Light Side of the Force, and went back to sparring with Barriss more passively, much to Darth Sidious’s disappointment.

As for Barriss, the red hue of the lightsaber reminded her of pretending to be Asajj Ventress, so that she might hunt down and frame Ahsoka for bombing the Jedi Temple. This memory was unwelcome, especially so with Ahsoka standing there right in front of Barriss.

Barriss thought in her despair, “why am I holding one of these dreadful lightsabers again,” only for the lightsaber crystal to respond to her as the other responded to Ahsoka. This lightsaber crystal chose a different method - instead of quoting the Sith Code, it played on a former Barriss from years past.

“I think red suits you.”

Barriss, who had resisted the Dark Side and succeeded before, knew the crystal wasn’t merely advising a fashion statement, but rather actually asking her to tap into her own anguish at painful reminders of the mistakes she’d once made. Barriss knew she could resist, but she also knew she was being observed by a Dark Lord of the Sith, and so she needed to give in - not enough to get Ahsoka killed, but enough to please the Emperor.

Barriss felt her pain flow through her and then concentrated it into her attack. Ahsoka jabbed at Barriss from one angle, at which point which Barriss used one slash to readjust the angle of Ahsoka’s blade, then went for Ahsoka’s now-unprotected left shoulder. If Ahsoka hadn’t hit the ground and rolled, she would have been injured.

Though the crystal screamed and begged Barriss to continue empowering herself with her grief and guilt, Barriss gently tapered the Dark Side out of her system. It was at a rate just slowly enough for Palpatine to think she resisted it because she felt she had made a mistake in using it, but at a rate quickly enough that the Dark Side would not be able to overtake her will. Barriss knew where the balance was. She had done this before, after all.

These more aggressive moves brought Ahsoka and Barriss physically closer and closer towards each other until each of their arms locked around one another. Now neither lightsaber could move, as long as each other maintained their position. Ahsoka stared into Barriss’s eyes.

For a moment, Ahsoka forgot how they had been ordered to show off lightsaber crystals meant to tempt them towards the Dark Side. Ahsoka forgot how irritated she was at Barriss’s willingness to play along with the Emperor. All Ahsoka saw was Barriss’s eyes. Then, she looked down and saw Barriss’s lips. Barriss smiled. It was such a beautiful smile.

The two met eyes again. Did she want to...? She did.

They kissed. The Force around them had previously been filled with the heavy air of the Dark Side’s strength in the room, but when Ahsoka and Barriss kissed, it changed the energy around them. The Light Side grew out from within Ahsoka’s and Barriss’s cores and intermingled with the Dark Side. As each kissed longer, the two sides of the Force flowed around them, forming a sort of balance only possible when two Force-sensitives truly love each other - romantically or more commonly, platonically. When the two parted, Ahsoka understood why falling in love had been forbidden by the masters. That kind of power mixed with the temptation of the Dark Side ever-present wasn’t safe in most hands.

“Interesting.” Emperor Palpatine said after a long silence.

After some polite and trite discussion, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader left the Destinence. Fearing the ship had been bugged or that the droids had been reprogrammed to record them for the Empire, Ahsoka and Barriss stopped having sensitive conversations out loud. They began to communicate through the Force. It took more time and energy to do so, but this not only brought them a small degree of safety, it also brought them closer. They could always feel each other’s true emotions and have a truthful conversation about them.

Ahsoka ordered the ship to fly to Tatooine. While the droids piloted the ship, Ahsoka and Barriss retreated into a meditation room for privacy. The two began to speak telepathically through the Force.

Barriss communicated first, “We have to sell this ship and buy a new one. Otherwise, we will never be able to hide from the Emperor or Darth Vader.”

“I know. I’m going to miss the Destinence. It served me well. On Tatooine we won’t be able to get the market price for what it’s worth, but we can get enough to buy a decent replacement, and the Destinence will quickly become untraceable. No one will ever know what happened to it.” Ahsoka reasoned.

Barriss revealed a rainbow gem hiding in her cloak. “With this, we could buy a Republic Cruiser and more if we really wanted, not just some crummy replacement ship not worth our while.”

“Barriss! Where did you get that?” Ahsoka was shocked.

Several rainbow gems could buy ownership of one solar system. Barriss didn’t earn her way to one of those, unless she assassinated someone particularly powerful before she met up with Ahsoka again.

Barriss answered, “On one of my missions with Boba Fett, I pocketed it from a rich Hutt. Don’t worry, it’s not like he’s going to miss it, and he never noticed me take it. Those Hutts are too rich for their own good.”

Ahsoka decided there was no point in arguing.

“Fine. What kind of ship do you want to get?” Ahsoka asked.

Barriss told her, “Ideally, I want a ship that’s self-sustaining, like a sort of fast-moving biosphere. We could use it to leave the galaxy even, which would be even safer than hiding in the Outer Rim from the Empire. But, those don’t exist, so I’ll have to wait. Let’s get a different model of course, but one with a lot of the same capabilities as the Destinence has. Even better yet - we could have our own ship designed and manufactured with what this rainbow gem is worth. What do you say?”

“Where can we get a ship designed and produced without the Empire finding out?” Ahsoka questioned.

Barriss explained, “On another mission with Boba Fett, I visited an unmapped planet in the Unknown Regions. It’s in a solar system close to Rakata Prime. They have native humans and several sentient species unknown to the Empire. The planet is known as Regvada. They have the technology, the raw materials, and they even take rainbow gems as high value currency.”

“Then, why didn’t you say something? We don’t even need to go to Tatooine. I can stop R2-Z34 and have us get turned around.” Ahsoka remarked.

Barriss corrected her, “If the Empire installed any tracking equipment aboard the Destinence, they would follow us to Regvada. We’ll have to buy a cheap vessel that can survive a trip to Regvada while on Tatooine, then get there. Make sense?”

“That’s a much better plan. Good idea, Barriss.” Ahsoka said.

\----------------------------------------------

Emperor Palpatine was in private conference with Darth Vader aboard an Imperial starship. They were headed to an isolated part of the galaxy where Palpatine’s future ultimate weapon - termed the Death Star - was being constructed. They had a long while with which to spend discussing Palpatine’s other plans for the galaxy.

Emperor Palpatine glared at Darth Vader. “Your former Jedi apprentice and her companion are strong in the ways of the Force. Though they are neither Jedi nor collaborators, they must be taken care of.”

“What is your will for them, my Master?” Darth Vader inquired.

Emperor Palpatine replied, “Either turn Ahsoka Tano over to our side of the Force or kill her. Do so personally. I began the process. Finish it.”

“And as for her companion?” Darth Vader asked.

Emperor Palpatine said, “I don’t care. She is not the threat that young Tano is, former Jedi Knight or no. Unless she proves to be a true problem, do whatever with Barriss Offee that you please. The Mirialan might even provide excellent bait for corralling the Togruta.”

“As you wish, my Master.” Darth Vader promised.


End file.
